Kentucky’s attorney general wants abortion procedures halted in the state as the coronavirus continues to spread across the country.
Republican Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron released a statement Friday calling for abortions to be temporarily banned and considered elective surgeries, which Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear already suspended in the state.
“Abortion providers should join the thousands of other medical professionals across the state in ceasing elective procedures, unless the life of the mother is at risk, to protect the health of their patients and slow the spread of the coronavirus,” Cameron’s statement said.
I’m calling on Kentucky abortion providers to follow the same laws as other medical professionals and stop performing elective procedures during #COVID19.
Read more here: https://t.co/QH0uY57cyQ
— Attorney General Daniel Cameron (@kyoag) March 27, 2020
Cameron specifically called on acting Cabinet for Health and Family Services Eric Friedlander to certify that abortion clinics are violating the governor’s temporary ban on elective surgeries by continuing procedures.
“Kentucky’s current ban on elective medical procedures exists to further the mandated policy of social distancing and to help conserve medical resources for use in fighting COVID-19,” Cameron said. “Acting Secretary [of CHFS Eric] Friedlander is on the front lines of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, and I am confident that he understands, better than anyone, the necessity of ending abortion procedures during this health crisis. His certification will immediately trigger action by our office to stop elective procedures during the pandemic.”
Cameron’s call follows Planned Parenthood filing a lawsuit against top officials in Texas over a temporary ban on abortion procedures during the pandemic.
.@GovAbbott doesn’t think abortion is essential or, apparently, time-sensitive.
He’s wrong.
So: we’re suing, with our friends at @ReproRights and The Lawyering Project. See you in court. pic.twitter.com/FIQJeKgK4l
— Planned Parenthood (@PPFA) March 25, 2020
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ordered all abortion services “not medically necessary to preserve the life or health” of the mother to be halted last week, saying, “It is unconscionable that abortion providers are fighting against the health of Texans and withholding desperately needed supplies and personal protective equipment in favor of a procedure that they refer to as a ‘choice.’”
